Kayaking in the Barycz Valley

Between Milicz and Sułów the water level on a ten-kilometre stretch of the Barycz drops by no more than 30 cm. The river's average gradient of about 0.035% is among the lowest of any Polish lowland river – which is why paddling here is so gentle and the Barycz Valley is considered one of the best places for a first kayak trip. Thousands of people paddle it each season, surrounded by the Milicz Ponds, one of Europe's important bird refuges.

The Barycz Valley Kayak Trail

The Barycz Valley Landscape Park has three official kayak routes. The longest, the Barycz Valley Kayak Trail, follows the river from Odolanów via Milicz, Sułów and Żmigród to Kędzie – 67.2 km, split into sections of about 10 km. The trail also includes the Młynówka Sułowsko-Radziądzka canal (12.9 km), and a separate, unmarked route follows the Prądnia river (about 8 km). Weirs have facilities for launching and portaging kayaks, and signs show the trail kilometre.

Along the canal to Ruda Sułowska

The Sułów – Ruda Sułowska section is 4.9 km long and, according to the guide published by the Lower Silesian Landscape Parks authority, takes about 2 hours. You launch below the bridge on the Sułów–Gruszeczka road, next to an old watermill. The canal is narrow, and because the water is held back by weirs it is paddleable even in dry spells. For several kilometres you glide in the shade of trees; watch out for logs felled by beavers and for anglers, as the canal is also a fishery. Further on the route enters the Milicz Ponds nature reserve and ends at the landing by the weir in Ruda Sułowska. For a longer trip, start in Milicz – the Sławoszowice – Milicz – Sułów section is 12 km.

The Milicz Ponds around the route

The ponds were created by Cistercian monks from the 13th century onwards – today there are more than 285 ponds covering about 77 km², Poland's largest carp-farming area. Since 1963 they have been a waterbird reserve: 276 bird species have been recorded, 166 of them breeding, including cranes, greylag geese, white-tailed eagles and red kites. Ruda Sułowska itself grew up in the 16th century around an ironworks that smelted bog iron ore dug where the ponds are now.

Tripto tip

The canal section from the Żabieniec Mały pond to the edge of the Wąski D pond (3.3 km), below Ruda Sułowska, is open only outside the bird breeding season, from 1 August to 15 March, and you may not go ashore; in summer there is often too little water anyway. Ruda Sułowska has the Naturum education and visitor centre with an open-air fishing museum and an inn, a fishery and a shop, and from the landing you can follow a 4.5 km nature trail between the ponds. The simplest option is to hire a kayak with transport from a local rental company – check terms and water levels before you travel.